OCR Text |
Show fit Who will uk it, and for whs? Hurt critical in figuring your new computer's specifications, Schkuch rays. How many people are going to be using this computer?" die raks. "Because if k's far a family and there's range in the aga of children, you're going to mot put kxs of pagans fcr the link lode patterns where theyre learning to send and write but if you also have older kick, thty as going to need difont program. Schliuch also suggests taking children's schoohrork into account when considering different computen. (Parents) need to look into their school district sod see whit npwrig system the school is working with," Srhlaurh rays. She suggests patents then buy a le computer to die students easily can switch between home and school. rea with the Many of these requirements am be better h than sonably priced models, Hancock says. "The &wnt hot Utah sligbriy older models, bur they'te kxs more expensive," he rays. Tor just a general computet; youie going to want a seasonable amount of hard drive space upward cf 30 gigabytes and a deoent-sise- d monitor about 17 inches," Hancock advises. "You want a rather fast ptocesKx; and the amount of memory that moat come with should be sufficient for most users. for wood Host usets" will use a firrrti'g, nmUwm, financial the Internet, ptogtams, and some games, Hancock says, adding that many computes under $lj000 easily will fill the bilL Qpe- ftflwr ing fnf jniiiiil mniHl miU mum paying lumAiiifc fcr noticeable mote distinctians, Hancock says. basely much that of a difference,'' he says, noting that the "Theres not newest computes are "maybe" 5 percent or 10 percent fester than those made just a few months sga "You're paying ml premium just because its die latest. There's a huge price gap between the very latest technology and whari been around for a while," he says. "I wouldn't pay that extra for somef Ibu haw to decide first thing I wouldn't notice." A good, major brand computer ; what you want to use thej for as link as $399, says sells computer for. Then, write ? David Heim, deputy editor for them dee?W-vv?CtmiKmtr Riports. "You might get a I; Internet, 4 with that, but you can get printer a good printer for $80 if you n FJHetherJflenzer, Ask the salesperson, "What does it mean If k has a Pentium 4 processor? for $1,400 to $2,000 or higher depending on the sire and and Heim And what makes a Pentium 4 better sales, aqs. There ate type ofmonitoi; brand, dais that change all die time,' he adds. than a Pentium 31 Whet are gjpbytes ' The Federal Consumer Information Center's Ufa and what do they do In a computert" "can AMa ... Abut Buying 0 Ctmpmtr, rays computes dif-fetc- be categorised by two operating systems those designed primarily for graphics wotk and those primarily intended for word processing, althotgh both are rapap bk of either function." Deciding which function you will use most can guide your choice. school-compatib- Electronic fun Some buyers, howevet; do require the latest, nwpww, Hancock rays. you're a power who wants everything you can our of your someone user; . CttMuuJ tH pap8... mast-powetf- iil If mf I fI a or6-y&f:.'- J don't, he says. And a huger should be ride to get technology with the best mund, graphics, and a DVD drive sateof-dieai- t 1 4Looiaxiren 'Hoac. beglnnen shop prioa and find the cheapest one. But they ;g t,mghcfobecarmfirri a deafer who offers trafofogwflfx the com-- ; Find out when the computer wi be repaired f d'puteif Gooidn something goes wrens he aqgesm Do they fare to rfiip It across the j ccouriery? "Computers docrask they dogoof up, things do go wrong, ' Gooidn sy&Yyou find someone urfio ft good tnd reSabie,then there your dealer and you cen got dread and go with them." ; ss. . -- f;S.Duy the resrptroe y f ' Once youVe done the legwork, dontskareuri waiting for a sale, a. better dbcount or technolcgcal advancemerits.Therek ahwysgoirg. to besomedifog better, newer, fester. If you wait, you art never going to. go arywhereTGooldn says.Afoc cf people get to the fed step and .1 then they hold oC," v;'' : 1 1. ?r |